Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-10-15
THE COSTERMONGER.
A ROUGH AND READY CHARACTER
OF THE BRITISH METROPOLIS.

Idle SUarsns ~ the 6treets-
The London costermonger general,
wears fixed kind Of dress His hat i.
always black derby, rusty from rain ant
| weather. His coat is generally a rust,
black frock. He rarely wears a waistcoai
His trousers may he corduroy or any kind
Of the cheaper woolen patterns, His shoes
are thick soled and hobnailed He alway.
wears a colored handkerchief tied around
his neck in place Of collar These hand
kerchiefs are always dirty, except upon
rare Sunday and holiday occasions, when
new ties are donned. These handkerchief
are always of a fanciful color, light blue
and red being the favorites They are
worn high up on the neck, leaving a couple
OF inches OF dirty neck showing between
the handkerchief and the greasy collar OF
the shaniblinS frock coat. The handker-
chief is really the badge Of the order. This
handkerchief about the neck designates
the character and standing Of a man in
England as completely and thoroughly as
If he wore uniform prescribed by &C: Of
parliament. The costermongers are men
engaged in street traffic Of all kinds. They
are generally dealers in vegetables. They
begin with push carts. and IL they are
prosperous and reach the climax of their
ambition they become the owners Of small
two wheeled wagons, drawn by little don
keys or ponies. The strength and endur-
snce OF these small animals are phenome-
nal have seen from six to eight grown
people on . costermonger's cart being
drawn AT . furious pace by a pony not
much larger than Newfoundland dog.
The costermonger never gives his pony
any rcst. He works him during the week
IN his business and uses the wretched lit
lie animal on Sunday 20 give his friends
treat in the shape Of ride to some cock
ney resort in the suburbs The coster-
nongers live in the street They are
never indoors except for eating and sleep
ing 4 very severe, driving storm will
so'aetirnes force them into the house, but
they generally take refuge under an avn
ing or some gateway. They are a hardy.
tough, coarse fibered people. They are
noisy, and have a perfect passion for
sceues OF urroar and excitement. You
rarely hear OF costermongers numbering
any OF their associates or OF their using
knives or pistols in their Quarrels They
have a way Of pounding and kicking
each other when engaged in disputes. but
are rarely arrested, rs they never seem to
carry malice, and their fights generally
end up in a good natured way. The
costermonger aud his female are often
the chief actors in q street brawl. When
once a costermongr has begun to keep
company with a costermonger female
then she is considered his property She
speaks Of him as her man and she is
spoken Of As his gal
II was Sunday morning. The two had
started out evidently for = holiday. He
was in his best. He was q surly, heavy
jawed fellow, with black eyes, u short
nose and brawny, hairy fists. He wore q
little black derby hat about three sizes too
small for his great, round head His
was the Gghtest Of sky
blues. She was buxom. burly, OF medi-
um height, dressed in true cOstermonger
style. Their dispute grew out Of diff
ference Of opinion Is to where they
should spend the day. She insisted on
going ono way and he the other. They
for half a moment. and then he
turned around and deliberately gave her a
kick which lifted her about six inches
from the sidewalk, to convince her that
his way was the best. She turned quickly
and began kicking him in return. The
way she bronsht her number ten boots
around against his shins very soon con
vinced him that she was as strong at that
kind Of argument as he. They kicked at
each other for about ffve minutes, the
center OF delighted and cheering crowd,
and then the costermonger female by her
skill in kicking carried the day. In a mo-
ment Or two more he gave mp, Srinned
good naturedly and the two walked OF
together for happy sabbath.
The way domestic brawls are carried on
In the streets OF London cannot be
am certain, in any other city
in the world. The common people who
walk the streets regard these quarrels as
their own private theatrtcals and sternly
resent any interference Of the police As
= general thing the police do net touch
the braWlers unless they make too much
Of a disturbance and block up the streets.
The police then simply order them to
move on, and make arrests only where
the disturbing party resists. During my
stay in London have seen more street
fights than had ever seen before in my
life. The actors in these street fights or
domestic brawls appear to take great
pride in the parts which they are called
uron to play. They are stimulated by the
cheers and roars Of approval from the au-
dience and do their best to maintain their
for courage, ferocity and skill
in retort.
The women are especially excitable and
acrve in a street fight. The man gener-
ai'y looks sulky and sheepish when en-
aged in fight with his female in public.
But the women never give them . chance
to back out. They are much more vim
dictive and active than the men. Al er
the man has been kicked three or four
tine. and has had his face scratched up
10 . proper state Of rawness. he be-
comes excited and then strikes out
brutally and cruelty, unless a police
man happens 10 be too near. The women
are generally the victors in these street
fights. The fighting women generally
have babies in their arms. have seen
of costermonger viragos bound
ing from the ground like hyenas, rushing
up and down with great leaps, bowling
Insults and epithets. then sweeping down
toward the hated object Of their wrath
for a blow or a kick, and when the man
strikes out the baby never seems to be re-
Cartied as anything more than a buffer.
The costermonger female uses her baby
as a shield. The poor, wretched baby is
generally philosopher and rarely, il ever.
hoHls or cries. | have never heard a
cestermonGer baby even peep during the
most exciting phases Of street fight.
the mother may be bowling like
a panther in her rage and excitement.
1t is this class Of people that makes
even the best parts Of London disagreed
BILE When their work is done they crowd
the streets and fill the publics, drinking,
swearing and quarreling. They wander
in great idle swarms up and down the
best streets, never turning to the right
or left for any one. do not know when
they sleep. have never been out so late
IN hour that have not found any nurl-
ber of them marching aboat hooting al d
hn,clin.r mud 1yifhnnf the sliphfeSt che, K